<£l)c jfarmrc's iHcmtljln bteiior. 



43 



things; and when the statements sent to Eng- 

 land were so soon followed by such immense 

 quantities of ilie real article, all ilnuhis disap- 

 peared, and all fears relative to sufficient supplies 

 vanished at onee. Our agricultural resources 

 were comparatively unknown abroad, before the 

 recent short harvsts in Europe; but they are 

 now well understood, and it is this knowledge 

 that has operated so favorably upon the munis of 

 capitalists), and turned their attention tn our finan- 

 ces. It is well known that the agricultural pro- 

 ducts of a country constitute its most important 

 element of wealth ; and a country rich in these 

 must soon he so in every thing else. There is 

 no other country on the lace of the earth, the 

 natural resources of which are so great as this, 

 ami our people possess an energy sufficient to 

 develop them with the greatest rapidity. Every 

 thing that constitutes wealth, we possess to an 

 unlimited extent, and the seeds of revolutions, or 

 of social discord, cannot take root upon our soil. 

 We have nothing to fear from internal difficul- 

 ties, while there is not a nation in Europe but 

 that is in danger of destruction from some inter- 

 nal troubles— some revolution growing out of op- 

 pression and starvation. Our public debts are, 

 therefore, upon a solid basis ; while those of every 

 government in Europe may he swept away in a 

 day. The public debt of Great Britain must ul- 

 timately he repudiated ; the people cannot, even 

 if they would, hear its burden much longer; and 

 a movement will, before the lapse of many years, 

 be made, which will make those who depend 

 upon incomes from their investments in that 

 debt, tremble. 



The manner in which the commercial classes 

 of this country sustained themselves while the 

 revulsion in Europe was sweeping away the old- 

 est anil largest houses by the score, must have 

 created an impression upon the minds of Euro- 

 pean capitalists highly favorable to this country. 

 Losses amounting to millions have been borne 

 \\ ithout causing many suspensions, and ihe credit 

 of our merchants has, no doubt, been improved 

 in every section of the world, by the compara- 

 tive prosperity they enjoyed amidst the crash and 

 destruction going on in almost every other conn- 

 try. Whatever prejudice may yet remain in the 

 minds of many relative to the solvency of our 

 Sue-, and the safety of such investments, there 

 has not for years beet) but one opinion relative to 

 the credit and character of the commercial 

 classes of this country. — New York Herald. 



The Potato Rot. 



II o.n. Isaac Hill — Sir: The potato rot has 

 been called a mysterious disease, and so it is ; 

 and whoever may be so fortunate as to discover 

 an effectual remedy to prevent it, will be better 

 entitled to a medal of gratitude from the commu- 

 nity, than a victorious general would be to re- 

 ceive a sword from government, because he had 

 been instrumental in destroying the lives of thou- 

 sands of his fellow beings. From the fact that, 

 within four or five years, potatoes have decayed 

 and rotted in an unusual manner, both before 

 digging and afterwards, it appears that either the 

 potatoes themselves have lost a part of their 

 natural power to resist common influences un- 

 friendly to their growth, or that some new influ- 

 ence fatal to them has somewhere and somehow 

 been generated and produced, and is now visit- 

 ing the earth. For though sometimes the rot 

 supposed to be the "potato plagne," may be no- 

 thing mordfchan the common rot, caused by very 

 warm and wet weather, before ami during har- 

 vest-time, still there can be no doubt but thai 

 there has been for several years, some extraordi- 

 nary, active, and subtle agent operating, which is 

 destructive to the potato crop, ami whatever may 

 be the cause, it is a " pestilence that walks in 

 darkness," and we have reason to be grateful that 

 it did not fall upon ourselves, instead of our po- 

 tatoes. 



Many theories have been proposed to ac- 

 count for the potato disease, but whether either 



is the right one, has not been satisfactorily prov- 

 ed. I shall now add a item theory to the number 

 already offered for consideration, namely : 1 think 



it is possible, and even probable, that the extra- 

 ordinary comet which appeared in the month ol 

 February, 1843, with such brightness and splen- 

 dor as to be seen with the naked eye very near 

 the sun, and about noon-day, imparted something 

 to the earth, directly or indirectly, which was 

 deleterious to the potato plant. Now I don't be- 

 lieve the antirpie doctrine that comets, like Job's 

 messengers, are sent to warn us of some ap- 

 proaching calamity, or to inform us of any un- 

 welcome news, but I do believe it not unreason- 

 able to suppose that the atmosphere of comets 

 may sometimes mingle with the atmosphere of 

 the earth, and communicate to it some quality 

 either of a friendly or unfriendly nature. It will 

 be remembered that the potato rot first made its 

 appearance about the year 1843. Comets, how- 

 ever, need not be regarded as objects of terror. 

 Their influence, if any, whether good or bad, is 

 only temporary, and gradually diminishes until it 

 finally disappears. 



As the season for planting is approaching, and 

 as the potato is one of the most useful and ne- 

 cessary productions of the earth, it is important 

 that farmers should avail themselves of the best 

 means in their power, for the preservation and 

 improvement of that valuable root. Wherever 

 we see a vegetable grow spontaneously and flour- 

 ish without cultivation, we know that nature has 

 furnished the soil of that place with qualities ex- 

 actly suited to the growth of the plant or tree it 

 produces. It is asserted as a fact that potatoes 

 are indigenous in South America, and that they 

 "grow wild," and flourish without culture in the 

 vicinity of the Andes — the region of volcanoes, 

 sulphureous and nitrous gases, and volcanic salts. 

 This shows that sulphur and nitre are natural 

 manures for potatoes, and the opinion, Mr. Edi- 

 tor, is corroborated by the good effects experi- 

 enced by yourself on your own farm, and by Dr. 

 McFarland on the Hospital farm in Coneord, 

 from using plaster as a manure for potatoes; and 

 by siini'ar experiments and results in Yorkshire, 

 (England) and other places. Gypsum or. plaster 

 of Paris, consists of lime and sulphuric acid, and 

 the latter is produced by burning sulphur with 

 nine. 



It is stated in a scientific work, that the dry rot 

 in timber has been cured by soaking the wood in 

 lime-water, and when dry, washing it in a strong 

 solution of potash. Would it not have a good 

 effect to wash potatoes in lime-water or water 

 in which ashes has been steeped or soaked, be- 

 fore planting them ? Both before and since the 

 potato rot prevailed, the same kinds of potatoes 

 have sometimes grown and produced well, and 

 sometimes not, whether the seed was planted on 

 moist land or dry — early or late — with and with- 

 out barn-yard manure — cut or whole— plared 

 three or four inches apart in the hill, or dropped 

 together — large, ones or small — ^cci\ changed or 

 not — hoed once, or twice — hills high or low. — 

 With us, the white potato has been most subject 

 to rust, and I should think the reds and Rohans 

 have rolled most. Cut potatoes come up quick- 

 er, anil produce earlier than whole ones, but are 

 not always as thrifty and vigorous. Small seed 

 potatoes have been thought to produce about as 

 good a crop the first year, as large ones, but 

 small seed from small, not quite so good. 



For myself, all circumstances considered at 

 present, I should plant mostly Whole small white 

 potatoes, about the first of May ; put plaster in 



the lull, but no barn manure; wash the seed lie- 

 fore planting it ; plant some on dry land, and 

 some on moist, so as to be prepared for either a 

 dry or wet season ; hoe them twice, first as soon 

 as they could fairly be seen above the ground, 

 and if they happened to he covered lightly again, 

 with loam, just as well or better; hoe them well 

 the second time, a little before they blossom. If 

 convenient, I would prefer to plant on land which 

 had never before been planted with potatoes, or 

 at least not for many years. 



DUDLEY LEAVITT. 



Meredith, March. IS10. 



Planting and Cultivation ol Trees. 

 For the following article, a beautiful parterre, 

 sparkling and shining as "apples of gold set in 

 pictures of silver," we thank the author. It will 

 be read with pleasure and profit by all lovers of 

 nature in her best attire', whether male or 

 female :— 



To the Editor of the Visitor. — 



Mr Dear Sir. :— Once again the "Spring time 

 o' year is coining " Stern winter once more is 

 relaxing his ice-cold grasp upon the lake and 

 mountain stream. "The time of the singing of 

 the birds " has come, and the snowdrops ami the 

 May-flower are telling us that something of grace 

 and loveliness may be hoped for in any bosom 

 that is not colder than New England snows. 

 If I here be any season when you may hope to 

 find the heart of man turning for a time from 

 the love of money and the love of power, those 

 idols of so many souls, when you may hope the 

 man of the world may be made to see what 

 Cooper says such men seldom see, " something 

 very lovely that is not at the same lime very lu- 

 crative," it is in the opening days of Spring; for 

 then he finds no sympathy for a dark and selfish 

 spirit. Merrily the birds are singing,and bright- 

 ly beams the rising sun. 



Hopefully and confidingly, the husbandman 

 easts the seed upon ihe earth. It is no time for 

 money-getting — for trade — for politics — for strife. 

 Let us out over the fields together and on the 

 warm hill side, and by the waterfall, and in the 

 green pastures, melt off the icebergs that have 

 gathered about our hearts. 



But I sat down tn write a matter of fact article 

 on transplanting trees, and the first question I 

 seem to hear its— "Why should I plant trees :"' 

 Well, I can answer that question, to one and all. 

 Are you the owner of a house and garden, a field 

 or farm, and have you children growing up 

 around you ? 



Then if you would have their childhood and 

 youth pass happily, and their latter years blessed 

 with pleasant II emnries, and sweet influences, 

 cherish within their breasts, a tasie for nature's 

 works— for birds, and flowers-, and plains, and 

 trees — and make for them a pleasant home. Eve- 

 ry tree which your child aids you in rearing, is a 

 new bond of sympathy between you and him — a 

 new and mutual object of interest — a new link 

 that binds your spirits together, and both to 



Cod. 



Plant trees that your child may rest in their 

 shadows, or eat of their fruits, so shall you up- 

 'oot selfishness from your ow n heart, and find a 

 ■esponse of gratitude in his bosom. A house to 

 shelter, and clothes to protect the person, and 

 education ill the sciences and arts, are essential 

 to the welfare pf your' child, hut not less so, is 

 the culture of his spirit, his tastes, his sj inpathies, 

 and in no nay are the better feelings of our na- 

 ture so readily developed — in noway is the heart 

 of a child, so effectually prelected againsi temp- 

 tation, as when it is filled with worthy objects of 

 interest, at home. Cherish in him therefore a 

 laste tor nature — that he may not see merely "in 

 the bird a flying animal, and in the flower the 

 covering of a cloud, but grace and beamy and 

 cause for gratitude in the bird and the fiower 

 id the running brook, and ' good in everything.' " 

 ant trees, you innney-hn ing men, ami so add 

 value to your worldy possessions; and you, un- 

 fortunates, who have no wife or child, plant trees, 

 that your affections may not wholly "run to 

 waste," that you may have something to love and 



